Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to expand collaboration with IUCN

Sun, 24 Feb 2008

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) agreed to develop a new series of joint activities in Saudi Arabia. Proposed joint projects are the development of a “Waqf Fund” and the “100 Arabic Books on Conservation”, aiming to strengthen IUCN’s regional support to the environment in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world.

Photo: IUCN WAME

His Royal Highness Prince Turki of Saudi Arabia, President of the Presidency of Meteorology and the Environment (PME) welcomed the IUCN delegation led by Director General Achim Steiner in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia encouraged the director of IUCN’s West/Central Asia and North Africa Regional Office, Dr. Odeh Al-Jayyousi to play a leading role in promoting a regional approach to conservation.

“The international community has so far paid little attention to some of the important conservation initiatives implemented in the Arab world during the past decade” said Achim Steiner. “Saudi Arabia is no exception and its commitment to protected areas, species reintroduction and marine conservation are noteworthy examples of this commitment”.

During the two-day long visit PME and IUCN reviewed the long-standing collaboration on conservation and environment management. This had in recent years focused on conservation programmes under the auspices of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development. Prof. Dr Abdulaziz Abuzinada, General Secretary of the National Commission and former IUCN Vice President was also present at the meeting. The Kingdom of Saudi Arab joined IUCN in 1981 and has played an important role in establishing IUCN’s presences in the WAME Region during this time.